CD4+ T cells contribute to neurodegeneration in Lewy body dementia

Science. 2021 Nov 12;374(6569):868-874. doi: 10.1126/science.abf7266. Epub 2021 Oct 14.

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that the adaptive immune system plays a role in Lewy body dementia (LBD). However, the mechanism regulating T cell brain homing in LBD is unknown. Here, we observed T cells adjacent to Lewy bodies and dopaminergic neurons in postmortem LBD brains. Single-cell RNA sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) identified up-regulated expression of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in CD4+ T cells in LBD. CSF protein levels of the CXCR4 ligand, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), were associated with neuroaxonal damage in LBD. Furthermore, we observed clonal expansion and up-regulated interleukin 17A expression by CD4+ T cells stimulated with a phosphorylated α-synuclein epitope. Thus, CXCR4-CXCL12 signaling may represent a mechanistic target for inhibiting pathological interleukin-17–producing T cell trafficking in LBD.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Brain / immunology*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / immunology
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lewy Body Disease / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Lewy Body Disease / immunology*
  • Lewy Body Disease / metabolism
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Meninges / immunology
  • Meninges / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Nerve Degeneration*
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / genetics
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Th17 Cells / immunology
  • Up-Regulation
  • alpha-Synuclein / analysis

Substances

  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • alpha-Synuclein